Heat guarantee Varnado; another 10-day for Birdman

January 30, 2013|By Ira Winderman, South Florida Sun Sentinel

BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Cut at the end of training camp in favor of Josh Harrellson and Terrel Harris, center Jarvis Varnado has completed a remarkable turnaround with the Miami Heat, his minimum-scale rookie contract guaranteed Wednesday for the balance of the season.

The Heat faced a deadline with the 2010 second-round draft pick, whose second 10-day contract expired Tuesday, after which he either had to be signed for the balance of the season or released. Players can be signed to a maximum of two 10-day contracts per team per season.

Wednesday also marked the start of the clock on the second 10-day contract of center Chris "Birdman" Andersen, who, like Varnado, was signed to a 10-day contract a week ago Sunday.

Both were at Wednesday morning's shootaround at the Barclays Center, in advance of Wednesday night's game against the Brooklyn Nets, but Varnado had to remain off the court until the final details of his contract were completed.

Although Varnado has appeared in only two games for a total of 12 minutes with the Heat, coach Erik Spoelstra said he has been impressed with the progress of the former Mississippi State standout who had bounced the previous two seasons between Europe and the NBA Development League.

With Varnado now under contract, he is available for the Heat to be sent to their Sioux Falls (S.D.) Skyforce affiliate, where Varnado played as an unaffiliated player earlier this season before a five-game cameo with the Boston Celtics prior to the NBA's guarantee date.

The Heat will face a similar all-or-nothing decision with Andersen at the end of his new 10-day contract.

The latest turn in the Heat's power rotation comes at a time when the Heat have been linked to further inspection of sidelined center Greg Oden, who is expected to return to the league next season in the wake of debilitating knee injuries but is eligible to be signed by an NBA team at any time.

In attendance at Tuesday's Ohio State home game against Wisconsin, Oden told the Cleveland Plain Dealer that reports of an imminent return were premature.

"I'm worried about the knee," he said. "That's it.

"I'm just getting my knee ready so when things do happen I'll be ready to play next year."

Drafted No. 1 overall in 2007 out of Ohio State by the Portland Trail Blazers, Oden appeared in just 82 games in 4 1/2 seasons before his release from the Trail Blazers in 2010. He last played in the NBA in December 2009.

He declined to discuss potential destinations.

"It's too early for me," he said.

Heat forward LeBron James has followed Oden's career, particularly with his interest in the Ohio State athletic program.

"I mean," James said, "you look at what he was promising to do, coming out of high school, coming out of college, and you never want someone to be limited because of an injury, and all the expectations that he was given, that he was limited because of the injury. So I think if he would make a comeback, that would be great."